Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-02-27
DIsOBEYING ORDERS.
How Certain Confederate Soldiers Dis
posed OF n Mexican Thief and Murderer.

~"
posed OF q Mexican Thief and Murderer.
During the Summer OF 1863, Browns
vi lie. near the mouth of the Rio Gnnde,
was the only lace In the Confederacy
where cotton could be sold and supplies
purchased, owing to the proximity OF
Mexico.
Severa, gangs Of Mexican cutthroats
Infested this region. They murdered
and robbed the unsuspecting Americans.
with q libeiality and success peculiarly
Mexican. Hardly q day passed without
some horrible crime being committed.
Duffs regiment OF Confederate cavalry
was camped at Resaca, the lagoon near
which the celebrated battle OF Resaca de
10 Palma was fought.
The men became indignant at these
continual Outrages, and Sergeant Reed
and Frank Travis, and several others
called on the Colonel of the regiment for
permiss on to hunt down the Mexican
banditti.
Col. Duff, rigid disciplinarian, refused
to allow the men to scout for the thieves.
II was indispensable TO the welfare OF
the Confederacy that no complications
should arise between the two COVER
ments heuce he informed Sergeant Reed
that he would be held to O strict re-
sponsibIlity for the killing Of any Next
cans.
TIE delegation retired, but In less than
hall an hour, -four as daring men as ever
lived, well mounted and armed to the
teeth, could have been seen emerging
from the regimental quarters.
"Discipl ne" remarked their leader,
ssio 4. -, .,AAA Akfn, an lee nloaA 6.,k
blood is thicker than water. reckon
we will make some few Mexicans quit
murderin' white ONE aid children be-
fore we get through, Colonel Duff or no
Colonel Duff"
The. ~scouters had not proceeded NOR
than threa miles, when they discovered Q
wagon near a water hole In tn, prairie.
No human being was In sight.
They rode up and q horrible sight met
their view-a man and q woman riddled
with bullets, WITH their throat cut from
ear 10 VI Slttilg on the ground In the
hot blistering sun was a little boy cry
ing, and calling on his father and mother
70 wake up.
Trunks had been broken open, and
such OF the contents as the robbers had
no use Tor were scattered on the { round.
The crime had Just been committed. In
fact the cutthroats had fed on the ap-
proach OF the Texans, aud were con-
cealed from sight by a depression in the
prairie. The little boy pointed out the
direction they had taken.
Standing up in his saddle TO get a bet
ter view, Frank Travis perceived n num-
Der Of dark specks on the horizon OF the
prair e. A moment later the four Texans
were ~galloping at q breakneck speed In
the direction Of the robb-rs.
Although there were six Of the robbers
they made no stand TO defend them.
selves. Being better mounted the
Texans soon overhauled them and
tumbled them out OF their saddles one
after another.
The leader OF the Mexicans, who was
none OF er than Pedro s ndoval. better
none a Fl Coyote. OF the Wolf, being
better mountc a the last one TO be
overtaken. lie turned In his saddle and
fired several Intellectual shots at his pur-
surrs.
Sergeant Reed, who was u arrest 10 the
Go o., thr It his smoking pistol tack
iHlO the ~scIbtari. aud III. aching his
Assoc from his saddle. sw.ing it over
his head. The moose fell Dver thu head
and shoulders o! the Mexican. He was
dragged from MA saddle AID a moment
laier was lying helpless N the prairie
bound hand and foot.
He was take hack TO the seen" ~ the
murder AID identified 10y h. little hoy,
Frank Travis wanted e. hang him in the
spot where the murder Vas committed.
mo" sid Sergeant Reed. "Ive got a
better idea than tat. We will bury
these poor people The best we can. As
soon as Il is dark We will return TO camp
and take Mr.. Wolf with us, and tonight
we will quietly hang him on a mesquite
tree right In front OF Col. Duns tint,
Just TO convince him that ~e obryed his
orders not to modest any q the Mexican
cutthroats."
This programme wa faithfully carried
out, and next morning when Col. DUFF
emerged from his tent 10 inspect the
landscape. the first object that met his
eye was the swinging body Of FL Coyote
The little boy was cared for by his res
cuers. and is to-day a prosperous stock
raiser in FRO ounty.-(Adapted from
Texas Siftings.